The Division for Africa, Least Developed Countries and Special Programmes collaborates with more than 80 countries to ensure growth opportunities from trade and investment, to improve development prospects, and to enable their more effective participation in the global economy. The Division provides timely, targeted research and analysis, as well as innovative policy recommendations regarding development, trade and investment.

Through its analysis of African economic issues, UNCTAD aims to increase awareness of some of the most critical development problems of the continent, and to promote action at national, regional and international levels to support African development efforts with a view to enhancing the participation of African countries in the world economy.

News

Africa has a bright future for attracting investment, but must use the opportunity to boost industry and improve infrastructure, H.E. Mr. Rob Davies, Minister of Trade and Industry of South Africa told the UNCTAD Trade and Development Board today during the Board's discussions under its agenda item on "Investment for Development."

Improving the world's 48 poorest nations' productive capacities, thus enabling them to link effectively into the global economy, is vital for helping them to transcend the "LDC" category, experts told the Trade and Development Board.

Experts at the UNCTAD Trade and Development Board session today said African countries will have to make major structural changes to their economies -- and should look at it as an opportunity to get in on the ground floor of green economic growth.

Twenty-six middle managers from the ports of Tema and Takoradi in Ghana completed last week their final session (Module 8) of the UNCTAD Modern Port Management course conducted in cooperation with the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GHPA).

The University American College Skopje (UACS) of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has joined the UNCTAD Virtual Institute as its 78th institutional member, bringing the count of countries represented in the Vi to 41.